Ignorant Civies

[Disenchantedsailor]

About a year ago after coming out of a CBC sponsored childs activity, Curios George or something like that, the local granola eating hippies had a protest in downtown Victoria. Signs saying "out of Iraq" and a borrowed phrase from another US war "make love not war" your typical hippy garbage. So my 5 year old hollars out, read a newspaper we're not even in Iraq.  words of a babe I swear.

 

[PPCLI Guy]

What comebacks (funny or serious) have you used with stupid civilian comments.

I thought I would start a thread dedicated to this subject as there must be quite a few gems out there that can be used .

I was in the subway in Toronto in uniform one day and a few yobos were beaking off to me.  I turned on them and said "if you aren't going to respect the uniform, you might want to respect the fact that I am big enough and mean enough to rip off your fucking arm and beat you to death with the soggy end".  They fled.

 

[Sig_Des]

I turned on them and said "if you aren't going to respect the uniform, you might want to respect the fact that I am big enough and mean enough to rip off your ******* arm and beat you to death with the soggy end".

He really is too!

I've gotten to the point where I pretty much just shake my head and keep walking.

Thankfully, I just don't seem to get as much of the idiots here in Edmonton that I did in Ottawa...go figure.

 

[benny88]

  Actually, I'm at civvy-U on a fairly liberal campus (Uni of Western Ontario) and I have gotten fairly positive feedback. My ULO (university liason officer) even asked me to wear a black civvy backpack with the tri-force and recruiting phone #'s and website on it. There was an article in the campus newspaper on Remembrance Day about some OCdts on campus who felt out of the loop on campus, but on closer examination, 2 of the 3 in the article were ones with previous NCM service who were @ university in their 30's, which I feel like explains why they felt alienated from student culture (not because they were in the CF, but because they were older [for lack of a better word]) I wrote back to the paper explaining how I psyched about the reception I got on campus being a member of the CF, because I was pleasantly suprised.

 

[neilinkorea]

I have read a few posts on this thread that compare CF members to other civil servants.  This is true, soldiers are paid by taxpayers through their government to do a job for them.  However, when is the last time you  heard a teacher claim that if they werent doing their job, that you wouldnt have the freedom to do yours, or express your views in public?  I have a healthy respect for the work done by military personel.  It is a difficult, stressful, and sometimes very dangerous job.  With that said, there are some self-righteous, martyr types in the ranks too.  An attitude of entitlement does not endear the public to the cause.  You are paid to do a job.  Do it and well and the recognition will come.  Remember, the goofs on the street pay you.  They are your boss.  Everyone gets a horrible boss once in a while.  Stay strong and know the next one will be better.
I think the people who shout horrible things at service members are first class  a**holes, but they still have the right to think a military is useless.  They do not have the right to assult and harrass the people who serve in the military, and I would love to see some of them prosecuted for those crimes.

 

[PMedMoe]

Not really a comeback, but my daughter always says "My Mom does wear Army boots!!"  ;D

 

[meni0n]

neilin, no the goofs on the street do not pay me. I am being paid by the Government of Canada. And they're certainly not my boss. If someone decided to say that they're my boss because they're paying me with their tax dollars, I haven't seen any cheques in the mail yet, but they're welcome to send some. I'd like to see these people say that to a cop when he pulls them over, see how well that goes over.

 

[simysmom99]

I hate the old "your tax dollars at work" line.  The yahoos on the street don't pay my dh, or support me and my family on deployment.  They know nothing of the life that we lead and the work that our families do.  No one has the right to judge out loud what we do unless they are willing to walk in our shoes.  There are many jobs that I couldn't imagine doing, like being a teacher, or working in retail again.  But thank God that people do want to do those jobs.

 

[211RadOp]

...  Remember, the goofs on the street pay you...

The "goofs" on the street may pay part of my wage through their taxes. Okay, that means that I pay about 20% of my own wage as that is what is deducted from my gross monthly entitlement for tax. So, does that make me my own boss?

(I have used this before as a line when someone claimed "I pay your salary!")

 

[Sig_Des]

Remember, the goofs on the street pay you.  They are your boss.  Everyone gets a horrible boss once in a while.  Stay strong and know the next one will be better.

Wrong. As pointed out by others, The Government pays me. I pay taxes too. Can you imagine the poo I'd be in if I told my boss "I pay my taxes. That makes me my boss. I gave me the day off."

Next time someone says "I pay taxes, that makes me your boss" Just reply with "Well, I pay taxes too, so today's on me"

 

[appletreecdn]

.....With that said, there are some self-righteous, martyr types in the ranks too......

I believe so.  Yet...doesn't this apply to every single group becuase the reality is that there simply isn't any social group whose members are 100% homogeneous. 

.....Remember, the goofs on the street pay you.  They are your boss.....

Does this mean those in uniform pay for those goofs (through services provided by tax dollars) and therefore they are the goofs' bosses, too?  The 'I pay my taxes and the taxes pay you and therefore I pay you and am your boss' argument is a gross misinterpretation of the modern social contract binding us all one way or the other.

 

[Penny]

Last year, as I was returning to my apartment building from work, a tenant recognized me in my uniform and asked "How can you wear that crazy costume ?"
"Proudly" I answered.

 

[Kat Stevens]

"Pants first, then boots" would have been my answer.

 

[xo31@711ret]

'my taxes pay your salary!'....my reply: My umpteen years of sweat and vigilance ensures that any village idiot can freely make asinine comments like that. Usually leaves 'em speechless.

 

[Penny]

My umpteen years of sweat and vigilance ensures that any village idiot can freely make asinine comments like that.

Good one.  LMAO!

 

[Richie]

Hello, my name is Richie and I'm a new member on this site; I have been lurking for a while and thought I would join in. I have no military connections or experience.

As far as the public attitude towards the military goes, I think a lot of Canadians do support the military; it's just that as Canadians, we're not comfortable approaching strangers and offering to shake their hand and thank them. I know that some of you folks in the military have had bad experiences with members of the public, but let's face it, there are idiots everywhere. Please don't judge all of us civilians based on the actions of a few NDP supporters or whatever.

Personally, I appreciate what you do, whether you're in Afghanistan or the Far North. You serve your country proudly and I thank all of you for that. You make me very proud to call myself Canadian!

I try to keep up with military affairs partly out of interest and partly because I'm a taxpayer so I hope that I can occasionally contribute some intelligent comments to ongoing discussions. I'm sure I'll ask questions that may sound basic to you, but then we're not in the same line of work so please bear with me.

Cheers,
Richie

 

[TangoTwoBravo]

  Actually, I'm at civvy-U on a fairly liberal campus (Uni of Western Ontario) and I have gotten fairly positive feedback...I wrote back to the paper explaining how I psyched about the reception I got on campus being a member of the CF, because I was pleasantly suprised.

It has been 15 years or so since I went to UWO, but I don't know if I would call it a fairly liberal campus.  The greatest show of political activism was when Frosh Week was cut from six days to five.  I found that UWO was a fairly establishment-friendly place for a university (as compared to other Canadian schools).

 

[benny88]

  The greatest show of political activism was when Frosh Week was cut from six days to five. 

;D

  Seen. But I think theres a difference between having liberal values and being politically active. Just because there aren't many demonstrations doesn't mean the people on campus don't have liberal views. I would say that all campuses are fairly liberal by definition, but I only have experience with a few, and those only in Ontario.

 

[ENGINEERS WIFE]

Having been a 'civie' all my life and first being introduced to anything military was back in the Wack and most of them being a Engineers, I think most, I mean, a few of them were drunk (gotta love the Jolly Miller)  But what can I say, they are a great bunch.  And now being married to a army guy I can see both sides.  Maybe not the 'idiot civie' part, but most just get their info from the news.  Not that I am making excuses, just making a point.  Now, when people say "I don't now why we are over there" or " I don't think we should be there, it's not our battle"  my standard reply is  " It's a good thing everyone DOESN'T think like you or we'd all be speaking Geman right now!!!!"  That usually shuts them down pretty quick.  Robin

 

[Flip]

" It's a good thing everyone DOESN'T think like you or we'd all be speaking German right now!!!!" 

Or perhaps only saying what we are allowed to say.....

As one civvie to another - Welcome Ritchie.
Hope you learn as much as I have from these great people!